File Clerks earn a median of $43,600 per year ($20.96/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 15.8% through 2035, with about 5,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 43-4071
- Office and Administrative Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
File Clerk in four numbers
- Median pay
- $43,600a year, or $20.96/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $31KTop 10% $63K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -15.8%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−15.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −15.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5,60076,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202576.2K
- Projected 203564.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 76.2K Projected 2035 64.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school30.1%
- Some college23.2%
- Associate's38.4%
- Bachelor's8.3%
Highest education held by file clerks Segment Value High school 30.1% Some college 23.2% Associate's 38.4% Bachelor's 8.3%
Also advertised as: Claims Clerk, Clerk, Clerk Typist, Documentation Specialist, File Clerk, Medical Records Clerk.
Pay
How much do File Clerks make?
Every file clerk in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$43,600
Middle half earn $36,420 to $51,770
- 10th
- $31,200
- 25th
- $36,420
- 75th
- $51,770
- 90th
- $63,490
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $31,200 |
| 25th | $36,420 |
| Median | $43,600 |
| 75th | $51,770 |
| 90th | $63,490 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $43,600
- Median hourly wage
- $20.96/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $45,590
- People employed
- 73,440
Versus all US occupations
At $43,600, File Clerks earn 14% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,380 a year.
Versus office and administrative support occupations
Inside the Office and Administrative Support group, where the middle occupation pays $49,230, this is 11% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $63,490 or more while the bottom 10% earn $31,200, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 10% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Oregon posts the highest raw median ($50,660), but once local prices are taken into account Iowa leads at $53,053 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay File Clerks the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Oregon | $50,660 | $49,013 | 970 |
| 2Hawaii | $50,630 | $46,048 | 100 |
| 3Illinois | $49,920 | $49,941 | 3,780 |
| 4Alaska | $49,910 | $48,760 | 150 |
| 5California | $49,040 | $44,292 | 9,520 |
| 6Massachusetts | $48,310 | $45,680 | 600 |
| 7Vermont | $47,540 | $48,531 | 70 |
| 8Minnesota | $46,640 | $47,292 | 760 |
| 9Iowa | $46,560 | $53,053 | 430 |
| 10Colorado | $46,490 | $45,113 | 1,130 |
Job outlook
Is File Clerk a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -15.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| File Clerks | −15.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of File Clerks to change -15.8% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 12,000 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,600 openings are projected each year, 7.3% of the 76,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of information clerks is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of information clerks varies by occupation (see table).
The increased use of online ordering and self-service systems will limit demand for some of these workers, such as order clerks and human resources assistants.
Getting in
How to become a File Clerk
Information clerks typically need a high school diploma and learn their skills on the job.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as file clerks.
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree38.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)30.1%
- Some College Courses23.2%
- Bachelor's Degree8.3%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 38.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 30.1% |
| Some College Courses | 23.2% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 8.3% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a File Clerk do?
File correspondence, cards, invoices, receipts, and other records in alphabetical or numerical order or according to the filing system used. Locate and remove material from file when requested.
Information clerks do routine clerical tasks such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.
Day-to-day tasks
- Perform general office activities, such as typing, answering telephones, operating office machines, processing mail, or securing confidential materials.
- Find, retrieve, and make copies of information from files in response to requests and deliver information to authorized users.
- Place materials into storage receptacles, such as file cabinets, boxes, bins, or drawers, according to classification and identification information.
- Scan or read incoming materials to determine how and where they should be classified or filed.
- Answer questions about records or files.
- Sort or classify information according to guidelines, such as content, purpose, user criteria, or chronological, alphabetical, or numerical order.
- Eliminate outdated or unnecessary materials, destroying them or transferring them to inactive storage, according to file maintenance guidelines or legal requirements.
- Add new material to file records or create new records as necessary.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most information clerks work full time. However, part-time work is common for hotel clerks and file clerks.
Clerks in lodging and transportation establishments that are open around the clock may work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Active Listening3.4
- Speaking3.3
- Writing3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Active Learning2.9
- Learning Strategies2.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Speaking | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Service Orientation3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Coordination2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.8
- Negotiation2.4
- Persuasion2.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.8 |
| Negotiation | 2.4 |
| Persuasion | 2.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Filesystem software
- Medical software
- Optical character reader OCR or scanning software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a File Clerk?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | File Clerk |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 7 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Conventional7.0
- Realistic2.4
- Social2.0
- Enterprising1.8
- Investigative1.3
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to File Clerk
O*NET related occupations
- Office and Administrative Support
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
- Office and Administrative Support
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk
$50,670median a year
Most earn $36K to $75K
−5.6%Some college
More office and administrative support careers
Median annual pay, with file clerks highlighted
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant$76,590
- Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant$55,570
- Public Safety Telecommunicator$53,040
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk$50,670
- Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping$50,610
- Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- File Clerk$43,600
- Teller$43,030
- Receptionist and Information Clerk$38,010
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant | $76,590 |
| Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant | $55,570 |
| Public Safety Telecommunicator | $53,040 |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerk | $50,670 |
| Human Resources Assistant, Except Payroll and Timekeeping | $50,610 |
| Secretary and Administrative Assistant, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $47,540 |
| File Clerk | $43,600 |
| Teller | $43,030 |
| Receptionist and Information Clerk | $38,010 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists File Clerk appears on
Questions
File Clerk: frequently asked questions
How much do File Clerks make?
File Clerks earn a median of $43,600 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 14% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $20.96/hr. The middle half earn between $36,420 and $51,770. The top 10% earn $63,490 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a File Clerk?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for File Clerks. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 38.4% hold associate's degree or other 2-year degree.
Is File Clerk a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 15.8% over 2025–2035, a loss of 12,000 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 5,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a File Clerk do?
Information clerks do routine clerical tasks such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers. A core O*NET task: perform general office activities, such as typing, answering telephones, operating office machines, processing mail, or securing confidential materials. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Data base user interface and query software, Document management software.
Which states pay File Clerks the most?
The highest state medians for File Clerks are Oregon ($50,660), Hawaii ($50,630), Illinois ($49,920) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Iowa moves to the top at $53,053.
What personality type suits a File Clerk?
O*NET scores File Clerks highest on the Conventional interest area, which means organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISFJ, ISTJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.